Gehyra australis

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Gehyra australis
"Stow-away" Northern Dtella (Gehyra australis) probably hitched a ride down south on a truck. (8851269349).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Gehyra
Species:
G. australis
Binomial name
Gehyra australis
(Gray, 1845)
Gehyra australis distribution.png
Synonyms
  • Hemidactylus australis(Gray, 1845)
  • Phyria punctulataGray, 1842
  • Platydactylus australis(Gray, 1845)

Gehyra australis, the Australian house gecko, northern dtella or top-end dtella, is a species of gecko native to northern and eastern Australia. [1] [2] It is also widespread in Indonesia, alongside common house geckos and four-clawed geckos.

Contents

Gehyra australis is primarily an arboreal gecko inhabiting woodlands and coastal and riverine forests. It can also occur near human dwellings and gardens. [1] It is oviparous. [2]

Systematics

In 2020, as a result of molecular genetic analysis, three new species were proposed for lineages of the Gehyra australis species complex: G. arnhemica (east Arnhem Land), G. gemina (northern deserts), and G. lauta (gulf, NT–Qld border). [3] [4] Names for the new species were registered in Zoobank. [5] Under this definition, the range of G. australis sensu stricto is limited to the western Top End region of the Northern Territory, from Darwin surrounds to Port Essington, and Gregory National Park To Eva Valley at the edge of the Arnhem Plateau.

Members of the australis species complex are generally arboreal, and tend to be smaller than the rock-dwelling (saxicolous) koira group, though G. lauta is larger-bodied. G. chimera is adapted to an arboreal lifestyle: it had previously been classified in G. australis, but genetically clusters with G. koira. Adult males of G. australis sensu stricto have 10–14 pre-cloacal pores, whereas G. arnhemica and G. lauta have 21-26 and 22–32 respectively. The various new species also differ in details of their scale patterns, particularly on the chin. [4]

Along with the G. australis and G. koira species complexes, the related species Gehyra borroloola , Gehyra robusta , and Gehyra pamela form a clade that is referred to as the "Gehyra australis group". [4]

Nomenclature

Gray's original 1845 description of G. australis was based on two specimens in the Natural History Museum of the UK. In 1983, Cogger, Cameron, and Cogger designated the Port Essington (NT) specimen as a lectotype and the Swan River (WA) specimen as a paralectotype. The location and pore count of the lectotype are consistent with the "australis 2" clade, which as a result is identified with the name Gehyra australis Gray, 1845. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Gehyra</i> Genus of lizards

Gehyra is a genus of geckos in the family Gekkonidae. They are known as web-toed geckos or dtellas, and most species within the genus bear close resemblance to geckos from the genus Hemidactylus.

<i>Gehyra mutilata</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra mutilata, also known commonly as the common four-clawed gecko, Pacific gecko, stump-toed gecko, sugar gecko in Indonesia, tender-skinned house gecko, and butiki in Filipino, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Southeast Asia. It has made its way to several areas of the world including Sri Lanka, Indochina, and many of the Pacific Islands. Compared to the common house gecko, the appearance of G. mutilata is somewhat plump, with delicate skin. The skin is usually colored a soft purplish/pinkish gray, with golden spots on younger specimens; these spots eventually fade with age.

Christinus alexanderi, also known as Alexander's southern gecko or Alexander's marbled gecko, is a species of Gekkonidae geckos found in the Nullarbor Plain of Australia. It is one of the many species and subspecies regionally termed as marbled geckos.

<i>Gehyra variegata</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra variegata, the tree dtella, variegated dtella or varied dtella, is a species of gecko in the genus Gehyra, native to inland Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dubious dtella</span> Species of lizard

The dubious dtella, native Australian house gecko, or dubious four-clawed gecko is a species of gecko in the genus Gehyra, native to Northeastern Australia. The lizard is found in a variety of habitats, including acacia and eucalyptus woodlands, and in human-developed habitats, such as house walls in urban areas. Its urban presence makes it known as a common house gecko in Queensland. These geckos are often confused with the Asian common house gecko, which was introduced to Australia from Indonesia, but G. dubia has distinct rounded feet and quieter calls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borroloola dtella</span> Species of lizard

The Borroloola dtella is a species of gecko in the genus Gehyra. It is endemic to Australia. It was first described in 1983 by Max King.

<i>Gehyra georgpotthasti</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra georgpotthasti is a species of web-toed gecko, found on several Melanesian and Polynesian islands.

Gehyra fehlmanni, also known commonly as Fehlmann's dtella or Fehlmann's four-clawed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

Gehyra kimberleyi, also known commonly as the Kimberley dtella or the robust termitaria gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to western Australia.

Gehyra koira is a species of gecko in the genus Gehyra, endemic to Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

<i>Gehyra lazelli</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra lazelli more commonly known as the southern rock dtella or Lazell's dtella is a species of gecko in the genus Gehyra, native to Australia.

The Centralian dtella is a species of gecko endemic to Australia.

The northern spotted rock dtella is a species of gecko endemic to Australia.

<i>Gehyra pamela</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra pamela, also known commonly as the Arnhemland watercourse dtella or the Arnhem Land spotted dtella, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Gehyra pulingka is a species of gecko endemic to Australia. It occurs in north-west South Australia, the mid Northern Territory, and Western Australia to the eastern Rawlinson Ranges. It is described as being generally dark-skinned with a pattern of light and dark markings over its body; however, light-skinned variants with similar patterns have been found.

The purplish dtella is a species of gecko endemic to Australia.

<i>Gehyra versicolor</i> Species of lizard

Gehyra versicolor, commonly known as the eastern tree dtella. is a native Australian gecko occurring in temperate forests of eastern Australia.

The East Arnhem land gehyra is a species of gecko. It is endemic to Northern Territory in Australia. The species was first described in 2020. The same paper which described Gehyra arnhemica also described five other species of Gehyra.

The Gulf tree gehyra is a species of gecko, also known as the ghost gecko. It is endemic to Queensland, and to the Northern Territory in Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hutchinson, M. (2010). "Gehyra australis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . IUCN. 2010: e.T178232A7503279. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178232A7503279.en .
  2. 1 2 Gehyra australis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 August 2016.
  3. Maguire, Kemii (10 March 2020). "Australia has six 'new' species of native gecko". ABC News. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Oliver, Paul M.; Prasetya, Audrey Miranda; Tedeschi, Leonardo G.; Fenker, Jessica; Ellis, Ryan J.; Doughty, Paul; Moritz, Craig (27 January 2020). "Crypsis and convergence: integrative taxonomic revision of the Gehyra australis group (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northern Australia". PeerJ. 8: e7971. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7971 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   6991128 . PMID   32025362.
  5. Publication ID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9EA86EF0-DB81-40ED-9DB9-58DBEF9B59D6